


a quiet moment in the after

by rcmsw



Category: The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, the after
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-02
Updated: 2017-12-02
Packaged: 2019-02-09 10:35:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12886050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rcmsw/pseuds/rcmsw
Summary: With his war finally over, Frank and Karen find a moment together.





	a quiet moment in the after

With a sigh, and a bit of a struggle, Karen fits the key into the lock of her apartment. Before she even opens the door all the way, she knows something is off. She can feel it.

Shaky hands reach for an empty purse - Russo never gave her gun back. She stops halfway through the motion when she sees him.

Sitting on her couch, leaning forward with elbows planted on his knees, Frank somehow looks worse than the last time she saw him. Worse than he had after explosions and gunshots, something only Frank can manage. She almost laughs at the thought, but it dies before it can reach her lips.

“Hey,” he says softly, turning to look at her.

“Hey,” she responds, and closes the door behind her, sliding the chain into place. She stays where she is, just looking at him.

“Sorry to do this again, break in uninvited, you know, but I just got my freedom, so I didn’t want to hang around outside and test its limits,” he nods getting up to meet her.

“That’s ok,” she smiles at him, the motion just barely pulling the corners of her lips.

“I was kind of expecting a gun to my head,” he raises his eyebrows and meet her gaze with a smile.

“Yeah well I never got mine back, so I guess you’re in luck.”

“I can find you a new one,” he shrugs.

She finally laughs at that. “I’m sure you can.”

He takes another step toward her, and winces at some unseen injury.

“You ok?” she whispers and she can hear how the concern leaks through the words.

“Yeah,I’m okay,” He brings his eyes back to her, and keeps her gaze.

She looks down, away from his intensity.

“And Micro? And Madani?”

“They’re all ok.”

“So does that mean it’s all done?” she looks at him, hesitant but hopeful.

“Yeah, it’s done.”

She nods up at him, and takes a step closer, shrinking the already small distance between them before pausing.

“So what do you need Frank?”

“Huh?” he asks, beginning to doubt the urge that had led him here so soon after it all ended.

“It’s just, last time you showed up here unannounced you needed something…” her voice drops off, waiting for an answer.

“That’s not why I’m here.”

Her eyebrows raise in an unspoken question.

“I wanted to see you Karen,” he eyes find hers again, and his dark eyes pierce her. It’s a look she’s seen before on his face, one that makes her breath catch in her throat. One that draws her toward him, wordlessly, thoughtlessly. His eyes focus in on her and her alone, like she’s the only thing in the whole of creation that matters, like nothing else even exists.

She reaches for him, her hand softly grazing the bruises on his face. After a moment, she pulls back, lets her out a breathless laugh and tries to shake the fog that had covered her mind.

“I, uh,” she gestures in the general direction of the kitchen. “I have some take out left over… if you’re hungry.”

“Starving,” he nods, his voice thick.

Karen heats up the leftovers in the microwave, filling the apartment with the inviting smell. They sit on the sofa eating, him leaning his right shoulder against the back of the couch with a foot propped up on the coffee table, her with her legs tucked under her, her torso crossing over her cushion, her shoulders barely an inch from him.

A comfortable silence surrounds them while they eat. Quietly Karen turns to look at him, and he meets her gaze. Her eyes show the smile that is spreading across her face, and feels his own lips turn up at the sight.

“So,” she tilts her head, motioning toward him with her takeout box. “Is this the after then?”

He laughs, looking down at her other hand resting on her leg. He reaches for it, out of instinct, and this time he doesn’t stop himself just short of touching her. This time he feels the warmth of her skin beneath his own.

“I guess it is,” he nods back. “Still not sure exactly how it’s going to work though.”

She shrugs, turning her hand over to lace her fingers between his.

“Guess we’ll just have to figure it out as you go.”

He laughs again, short and light.

“Okay,” he says softly.

“Okay,” she agrees.


End file.
